America has been engaged in a conflict with Iran for more than six months, though it was not a central topic at the Republican National Convention in Dallas. President Donald Trump addressed the issue in speeches on Wednesday and Thursday nights, defending the administration's approach. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also referenced the conflict in a video shown during the event. Vice President JD Vance did not explicitly mention Iran in his speech but honored slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk, noting that some people “hate war” while others support the actions taken. He encouraged conservatives to unite ahead of the midterm elections. Other speakers at the convention largely avoided discussing the war, despite it being a growing concern for many Americans. An NBC News Decision Desk Poll found that 31% of adults approve of Trump’s handling of the conflict, while 69% disapprove. Robert Jeffress, a senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Dallas, mentioned being “in a war” but clarified he was referring to a spiritual, or “cosmic,” battle between good and evil, not the war with Iran. The decision by many top Republican officials and candidates to avoid the topic reflected its declining popularity and the party’s reluctance to campaign on it ahead of the November elections. Trump defended the conflict, claiming it would end “shortly” after Election Day, but few outside the administration have taken ownership of it. Vance hinted at dissatisfaction within Trump’s base following U.S. and Israeli strikes in late February. Trump had long positioned himself against the traditionally hawkish tendencies of the Republican establishment, running on an “America First” platform that avoided foreign entanglements. However, dissatisfaction has grown, with Trump’s approval rating on the war showing little change since the spring. Among Republicans, there has been a noticeable drop in strong approval, with a 18-point decline in those who strongly support his handling of the conflict. Since the U.S. attacked Iran, 18 American service members have been killed, and roughly 50,000 troops are deployed across the Middle East. Mentions of these troops were sparse at the convention, though Jack Graham, the pastor who delivered the opening invocation, paid tribute to them: “We pray for our military as they protect our freedom, our faith and our future. Bring our troops home safely and soon.”